Dance band: Accordion donation conjures memories

About the turn of the century, 26 out of 27 ranches located on the Carson River around and east of Dayton were owned or operated by Italian emigrants. The Historical Society of Dayton Valley's mission is to preserve as much of the community's past culture as possible. Dayton's past is rich with Italian heritage.

Recently, the community scored when Dennis Cassinelli donated his father Raymond's accordion and a number of family photographs to the Dayton Historical Museum on Shady Lane.

Dennis added family history, too - this is as important to the town's historical research collection as is the elegant accordion. It's the people, their heritage and lifestyles that enliven a museum.

Dennis relates family history:

"Between 1889 and 1910, the Cassinelli family settled on a ranch across the Carson River from downtown Dayton. The ranch they acquired is now the location of the Ricci Ranch. Petro and Theresa Cassinelli raised a family of 12 children while they lived in Dayton. Petro and his brother, Bert, and cousin Vitoria, built a dam across the river and constructed ditches to irrigate their fields.

"Crops raised were taken to Virginia City, Gold Hill and Silver City to provide hay, potatoes, garlic, corn and other vegetables for people on the Comstock. Petro was my great grandfather. His son, Pete, owned the ranch where I grew up near Sparks. My father, Raymond, and a group of his friends formed the Raymond Cassinelli Dance Band.

Says Dennis: "Before the war, Raymond went to San Francisco for a few years to study music and became an excellent accordion player. Raymond's dance band, with their accordion, xylophone, piano and saxophone players, traveled around western Nevada and eastern California playing for dances and New Year's celebrations during the late 1930s and early 1940s. I remember them playing in Vinton, Stockton, grange halls, Virginia City and Odeon Hall in Dayton. Raymond once told me, at one dance he played for in Stockton, the only people in the place who wore clothes were members of his band."

"After Raymond passed away a few years ago, he decided to donate his accordion to one of his favorite dance halls. We heard the upstairs of the Odeon Hall might be converted to a museum some day. When this was the location of Mia's Swiss Restaurant, I took Raymond to visit the old upstairs ballroom. This brought back many memories for him of the days when he and his band played there. He remembered security was provided by deputy sheriff Chester Barton who kept order with a rifle equipped with a banana clip."

Since the museum in the Odeon didn't materialize, Dennis said:

"A few day ago, Grace Ricci called to ask me if I could bring some books I've written to the Dayton Historical Museum to sell in their gift shop."

Dennis visited Grace at the ranch his ancestors once owned to discuss his books. "I asked if the Dayton Museum would be interested in a donation of Dad's old accordion."

HSDV members jumped for joy! Dennis delivered the donations, noting, "It's the building that's the second oldest schoolhouse in Nevada, built in 1865."

Lead docent Pat Neylen notes: "The accordion is prominently displayed in the museum for the community to view, enjoy, and, if you have an imagination, hear it, and see folks dancing at the Odeon Hall to its sweet music."

Pat explained, "The last two winters, a team of docents at the museum have been cleaning up, rearranging and labeling displays at the museum and the public's been positively responsive. Most importantly, based on our past efforts, a prominent pioneer Dayton family like the Cassinelli's trust us enough to transfer the remarkable and historically significant Raymond Cassinelli accordion to our care."

A 1906 school photo taken alongside the building is part of the collection:

"In the photo, there are eight members of the Cassinelli clan who were students in 1906. One of them is my grandfather, Pete Cassinelli, Raymond's father."

"Everyone in the historical society is thankful and grateful for this donation," Pat emphasized, reminding history buffs that books written by Dennis on Native Americans, their tools, and regional history are on sale now at the museum now from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Call 775-246-6316 or go to www.daytonnvhistory.org for more Dayton museum info.